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Stafford HM 2014
Sunday 26 July 2015
A National Medal, part 2
So, where was I? Ah yes, much to my surprise I actually finished 3rd in my age group. Some of those 'old girls' look pretty damn good for their age is all I can say. I think I was 6th over all. Anyway, I got a nice bronze medal for my efforts.
I was a few miles short for the week since it was too wet to do much more of a cool down than I did, but it was still over 70 miles.
A National Medal!
Week 6 of marathon training is in the bag.
Monday was 4 on the treadmill in the gym in the morning (rather than at home) because I needed a little more time to feel up to it. The gym is close to work. The evening was 9 miles on the treadmill followed by Body Pump class and my first attempt at the new release. Legs were easy, arms not so much. I had some horrific bloating in the evening.
Tuesday - I felt really unwell all morning. Just really fatigued and a bit crampy. I perked up later on though. I felt quite good at the start of my track session, which was scheduled as 3 x 1k, 3 x 800m, 6 x 150m. I got faster on each km, but the first 800m was a slower pace and as soon as I crossed the line I had to run to the loo. Session aborted.
Wednesday - I had to get up really early for a work trip to London, and I was really poorly. In fact I was late arriving due to having to rush back to the loo. Being last to arrive meant I had to travel backwards. OMG. I thought I was going to pass out. I had to close my eyes for most of the journey. The day was long and, while better than being in the office, not especially interesting. I did at least get to face the right way for the drive back up.
Thursday - a steady/slow 10, trying to save my legs.
Friday - Took a day's leave from work to run 24 miles. I really know how to live don't I? Actually got some company for the first 11, which made a refreshing change. I felt really good on the run, other than being soaked through. Summer has definitely deserted us.
Saturday - I paced 25 minutes at parkrun. I myself didn't get under 25, but most of my pacees did, which is the important thing. I was a little too reliant on the Garmin and it measured long. I've done Colwick 36 times now, and that's the first time I've measured it long. Typical! Warm up, cool down and an afternoon recovery plod gave me 10 for the day.
Sunday - British Masters Track Champs at Alexander Stadium. By the time I arrived the weather was looking distinctly soggy and I really wasn't in the mood for getting wet. Again. Ah well. It was a bit posher than other events I've done on the track and involved registering, declaring and reporting to a Call Room. My warm up was really short due to this, and also the rain. We were led out to the track with a few minutes to spare and it was bliddy freezing! Then, with very little todo, we were off. My plan was to run 90 seconds per lap and fortuitously the girl in front of me was doing just that. Like a metronome she was. I kept up until about 3 laps to go, then I started feeling the mileage in my legs. I came out with 18.49.xx TBC as there appears to be a word limit.....
Monday was 4 on the treadmill in the gym in the morning (rather than at home) because I needed a little more time to feel up to it. The gym is close to work. The evening was 9 miles on the treadmill followed by Body Pump class and my first attempt at the new release. Legs were easy, arms not so much. I had some horrific bloating in the evening.
Tuesday - I felt really unwell all morning. Just really fatigued and a bit crampy. I perked up later on though. I felt quite good at the start of my track session, which was scheduled as 3 x 1k, 3 x 800m, 6 x 150m. I got faster on each km, but the first 800m was a slower pace and as soon as I crossed the line I had to run to the loo. Session aborted.
Wednesday - I had to get up really early for a work trip to London, and I was really poorly. In fact I was late arriving due to having to rush back to the loo. Being last to arrive meant I had to travel backwards. OMG. I thought I was going to pass out. I had to close my eyes for most of the journey. The day was long and, while better than being in the office, not especially interesting. I did at least get to face the right way for the drive back up.
Thursday - a steady/slow 10, trying to save my legs.
Friday - Took a day's leave from work to run 24 miles. I really know how to live don't I? Actually got some company for the first 11, which made a refreshing change. I felt really good on the run, other than being soaked through. Summer has definitely deserted us.
Saturday - I paced 25 minutes at parkrun. I myself didn't get under 25, but most of my pacees did, which is the important thing. I was a little too reliant on the Garmin and it measured long. I've done Colwick 36 times now, and that's the first time I've measured it long. Typical! Warm up, cool down and an afternoon recovery plod gave me 10 for the day.
Sunday - British Masters Track Champs at Alexander Stadium. By the time I arrived the weather was looking distinctly soggy and I really wasn't in the mood for getting wet. Again. Ah well. It was a bit posher than other events I've done on the track and involved registering, declaring and reporting to a Call Room. My warm up was really short due to this, and also the rain. We were led out to the track with a few minutes to spare and it was bliddy freezing! Then, with very little todo, we were off. My plan was to run 90 seconds per lap and fortuitously the girl in front of me was doing just that. Like a metronome she was. I kept up until about 3 laps to go, then I started feeling the mileage in my legs. I came out with 18.49.xx TBC as there appears to be a word limit.....
Wednesday 22 July 2015
Summoned
I came home to today to a letter marked Private and Confidential. A letter from the hospital with an appointment for a follow up with the GI consultant. He said he'd only do that if they found something in the tests. I'm a bit scared, but on the other hand, if they found something that isn't IBS then maybe, just maybe, it's fixable. *crosses fingers and toes*
The appointment isn't until 7th August, so presumably I'm not dying ;)
The appointment isn't until 7th August, so presumably I'm not dying ;)
Sunday 19 July 2015
Fighting Fatigue
Monday - dragged myself out of bed for four miles on the treadmill. In the evening I got through my 9 miles but was secretly pleased I'd had to wait to get on a machine (something I was promised would never be an issue when I joined the gym!) meaning that by the time I finished my scheduled run it was too late to go to Body Pump.
Tuesday - driving home from work I could barely keep my eyes open. I was half way through getting changed for an easy run (ie work clothes were off and running kit was not yet on!) when the need to lie down won out. I'll just shut my eyes for two minutes I thought to myself. Two hours later I woke up feeling groggy. Run missed.
Wednesday - Summer League race at Worksop. Phenomenally stupid distance of 4.89 miles. I won, but only because the fast girls didn't turn up. The pace was rubbish. Afterwards I had distention in the upper part of my stomach but otherwise got away without issues.
Thursday - 10 mile MLR that felt OK.
Friday - I kept the scheduled rest day despite having already had one this week. I was tired again and knew I had a big weekend coming up.
Saturday - Up early for a 22 miler including a potter round Colwick parkrun. It was fine. I was strong and only fatigued at the very end when I got bored of running round in little circles to make up the distance. Then I had some errands to run and stuff to do and, and, and....
Sunday - I got up early for a recovery run but couldn't keep my eyes open so went back to bed. I woke up again at midday. I had the Masters Inter Area Match 3000m in Solihull in the afternoon and I knew it wasn't going to be great, but I hadn't expected it to be quite *that* bad. In order to avoid having to run into the headwind every lap I tucked in behind the leaders, but their pace was a bit too hot for me, and with 3 laps, or maybe it was 4, to go the girl in second moved up to the front and took it on. I couldn't handle the pace and faded badly. I still finished third, but in a really slow time of 11.02, a whole ten seconds slower than two weeks ago.
So, lots of sleeping done, and not enough miles. 10 miles short of target for the week. I can't help but wonder if the fatigue is down to the diet. This FODMAP elimination is hard work and I just end up eating chocolate or Free From sweet things that I wouldn't have bothered with in the past. I need to stop faffing on the internet so much, get more sleep, and eat more real food.
Tuesday - driving home from work I could barely keep my eyes open. I was half way through getting changed for an easy run (ie work clothes were off and running kit was not yet on!) when the need to lie down won out. I'll just shut my eyes for two minutes I thought to myself. Two hours later I woke up feeling groggy. Run missed.
Wednesday - Summer League race at Worksop. Phenomenally stupid distance of 4.89 miles. I won, but only because the fast girls didn't turn up. The pace was rubbish. Afterwards I had distention in the upper part of my stomach but otherwise got away without issues.
Thursday - 10 mile MLR that felt OK.
Friday - I kept the scheduled rest day despite having already had one this week. I was tired again and knew I had a big weekend coming up.
Saturday - Up early for a 22 miler including a potter round Colwick parkrun. It was fine. I was strong and only fatigued at the very end when I got bored of running round in little circles to make up the distance. Then I had some errands to run and stuff to do and, and, and....
Sunday - I got up early for a recovery run but couldn't keep my eyes open so went back to bed. I woke up again at midday. I had the Masters Inter Area Match 3000m in Solihull in the afternoon and I knew it wasn't going to be great, but I hadn't expected it to be quite *that* bad. In order to avoid having to run into the headwind every lap I tucked in behind the leaders, but their pace was a bit too hot for me, and with 3 laps, or maybe it was 4, to go the girl in second moved up to the front and took it on. I couldn't handle the pace and faded badly. I still finished third, but in a really slow time of 11.02, a whole ten seconds slower than two weeks ago.
So, lots of sleeping done, and not enough miles. 10 miles short of target for the week. I can't help but wonder if the fatigue is down to the diet. This FODMAP elimination is hard work and I just end up eating chocolate or Free From sweet things that I wouldn't have bothered with in the past. I need to stop faffing on the internet so much, get more sleep, and eat more real food.
Sunday 12 July 2015
Week 4 comes with a TMI warning
This has not been a good week. I've felt generally poorly for most of it on top of the usual issues.
Monday - it was a cutback week, so no morning run. Evening 9 miler and Body Pump were fine.
Tuesday - I felt weak and headachey in the morning. Not sore from the work out, just like I had no strength. I was surprised by having to produce a large volume of poo when I went to the gym to get changed. I didn't know it was needed, if you know what I mean. I felt nicely emptied after it though. It was blowing a gale at the track so we had a short session of 600, 400, 200 x 2. They felt ok but I'm sure they were slow. Then just a short distance into the cool down I was struck by the very, very urgent need to go and had to dart back to the clubhouse for bad noise, bad smells and another large amount.
Wednesday - In the morning I felt rubbish. Cramping in my stomach, light-headed... Dehydration perhaps. The evening run ended up a bit long at 11 miles and ended in a dash up the stairs to the bathroom only to produce nothing but air.
Thursday - Felt awful in the morning again, same as yesterday. Perked up a bit later on but not enough to contemplate swapping my planned Friday run to tonight.
Friday - I now haven't moved my bowels since Tuesday night. I am bloated and the brain fog has gotten ridiculous. I don't know how much longer I can hold up my 'game face' at work. I'm pretty sure it slips from time to time anyway, but I'm making a real effort to engage and laugh and generally not sound like I feel like utter shite. I had a friend visiting for parkrun and didn't want to be out on the roads when he arrived so I did my 6 mile easy run on my treadmill. Note to self - turn off the lights, they're bliddy boiling!
Saturday - My cat scared the life out of me by pretending to be dead. She slept downstairs in the ex-living room with my friend rather than in my bed with me. She's a bit of a tart really. I came downstairs to find her on the sofa and sat down next to her. She didn't move. I stroked her and she felt like a dead weight. My heart was in my mouth. It took a while to rouse her and I had to shake her pretty hard. One day that will happen and she won't rouse. I am so not ready for that day. Anyway, after that horror and some breakfast I was finally able to 'go' again, and it was a massive amount of cow pat style fluffy poo.
We went to Long Eaton parkrun because it's flat and wouldn't aggravate Ste's niggles. I needed to run hard since I'd otherwise have done a hard session on the Friday night. My stupid Garmin died but Ste lent me his so I could pace for sub 20 to take the course record. It was over all pace though, and I could have used lap pace really. As it was I didn't realise just how badly I slowed down. I got about 10seconds slower each mile. Finished in 19.36, which is a bit meh really. In week 6 of Spring marathon training I ran 18.42.
Sunday - 18 miles. This was a short long run, but it felt like hard work for some reason.
60 miles and I feel more tired than after a 75 mile week.
Monday - it was a cutback week, so no morning run. Evening 9 miler and Body Pump were fine.
Tuesday - I felt weak and headachey in the morning. Not sore from the work out, just like I had no strength. I was surprised by having to produce a large volume of poo when I went to the gym to get changed. I didn't know it was needed, if you know what I mean. I felt nicely emptied after it though. It was blowing a gale at the track so we had a short session of 600, 400, 200 x 2. They felt ok but I'm sure they were slow. Then just a short distance into the cool down I was struck by the very, very urgent need to go and had to dart back to the clubhouse for bad noise, bad smells and another large amount.
Wednesday - In the morning I felt rubbish. Cramping in my stomach, light-headed... Dehydration perhaps. The evening run ended up a bit long at 11 miles and ended in a dash up the stairs to the bathroom only to produce nothing but air.
Thursday - Felt awful in the morning again, same as yesterday. Perked up a bit later on but not enough to contemplate swapping my planned Friday run to tonight.
Friday - I now haven't moved my bowels since Tuesday night. I am bloated and the brain fog has gotten ridiculous. I don't know how much longer I can hold up my 'game face' at work. I'm pretty sure it slips from time to time anyway, but I'm making a real effort to engage and laugh and generally not sound like I feel like utter shite. I had a friend visiting for parkrun and didn't want to be out on the roads when he arrived so I did my 6 mile easy run on my treadmill. Note to self - turn off the lights, they're bliddy boiling!
Saturday - My cat scared the life out of me by pretending to be dead. She slept downstairs in the ex-living room with my friend rather than in my bed with me. She's a bit of a tart really. I came downstairs to find her on the sofa and sat down next to her. She didn't move. I stroked her and she felt like a dead weight. My heart was in my mouth. It took a while to rouse her and I had to shake her pretty hard. One day that will happen and she won't rouse. I am so not ready for that day. Anyway, after that horror and some breakfast I was finally able to 'go' again, and it was a massive amount of cow pat style fluffy poo.
We went to Long Eaton parkrun because it's flat and wouldn't aggravate Ste's niggles. I needed to run hard since I'd otherwise have done a hard session on the Friday night. My stupid Garmin died but Ste lent me his so I could pace for sub 20 to take the course record. It was over all pace though, and I could have used lap pace really. As it was I didn't realise just how badly I slowed down. I got about 10seconds slower each mile. Finished in 19.36, which is a bit meh really. In week 6 of Spring marathon training I ran 18.42.
Sunday - 18 miles. This was a short long run, but it felt like hard work for some reason.
60 miles and I feel more tired than after a 75 mile week.
Sunday 5 July 2015
Indirect Proportion
Week 3 of training for the Chester Marathon.
The quality of my running this week has been in indirect proportion to the number on the thermometer (at least, if I'm remembering my maths/science terms correctly it was!). On Monday I was so tired I couldn't get out of bed for my morning run. Not a great start! The evening run and Body Pump were fine though.
The mercury started to rise on Tuesday and my form started to fall. I had to drop out of the track session after three 1k reps at a pace slower than my 3k race pace. I got halfway through the first 600m rep that followed and threw in the towel. I jogged that one out then skipped the next one. My club mate carried on but the heat took its toll on her and she passed out cold after the last rep, which was a little frightening to be honest. Luckily we had a medic on hand. A midwife, so it made a bit of a change for her! The other medic on the scene was the girl out cold on the floor!
Wednesday was ridiculous. It was still over 30 degrees in the evening when I set off for my 12 miler. I had a litre and a half of water with me, but it just wasn't enough. Also my stupid Garmin died on me. I had to walk a little up some of the hills. Finally got home and logged the bit my Garmin missed and realised I was still a mile and a half short, so I finished up on the treadmill.
On Thursday I got home to find my hallway full, and I do mean FULL of flying ants. Aaaargh. I swatted at them with a rolled up magazine and sprayed them all with deodorant, air freshener and hair spray. Then I went upstairs and there were more in the bathroom (got them with Cif bathroom spray). Grabbed my bag to go to B&Q and spotted a load more in the living room and kitchen. Ugh, I feel itchy just thinking about it. I bought some flying insect killer spray, drove home and set about mass insecticide. Finally at about 8pm I got out for a run. I was so stressed out that I just had no energy left. I had to walk the entire length of a mile long hill and cut the run short.
Friday - still killing bugs and also a little distracted by the Williams v Watson match. I ended up going to Argos to buy a dustbuster handheld vacuum thing to get the dead bugs out of crevices that the hoover won't fit in to, and then to the gym. 5 miles plodded out.
We had massive thunder storms during the night, so it was off very little sleep that I got out of bed at stupid o'clock for the long journey down to Bristol for the Midlands league. After such a rubbish week I wasn't expecting much from my 3000m race. It was warm and really quite windy, although not as bad as at the last Mids league fixture. Just before the race I started to get stomach cramps and abdominal distention. I mean, really? Right now? There was some, erm, wind assistance, during my strides and I had to run off for a last minute visit. There was no action though. I really feared a mid race accident.
We started too quickly for my liking and the first 400 went by in 83 seconds. I was with a group that soon spread out into single file. I tucked in behind a girl from Bristol for a lap or two but I was getting ridiculously annoyed by her constantly running inside the inside line, ie cutting the distance. I don't know why it bothered me so much, but it did. I moved past her and tucked in behind a Gloucester girl, but she must have been slowing and pretty soon I had to go past her too. This put me behind my club's other runner. I could hear from her breathing that she was struggling so I pulled past, willing her to come with me. I was now behind a girl from BRAT and she too was running inside the inside line. Aaarrgh. Passed her too and ended up 4th in a season's best of 10.52.1. My stomach never bothered me again for the rest of the day.
All the travelling made for a very long day so I was late starting my long run this morning. I must learn to drag myself out of bed earlier for these. By the time I got to 13 miles I was nearly out of water so I had to slightly extend my run to go to a shop to buy more. 21.5 miles brought up 70.5 for the week.
Next week is a cutback. I don't really feel like I need one yet, but at least I might get to see some tennis!
The quality of my running this week has been in indirect proportion to the number on the thermometer (at least, if I'm remembering my maths/science terms correctly it was!). On Monday I was so tired I couldn't get out of bed for my morning run. Not a great start! The evening run and Body Pump were fine though.
The mercury started to rise on Tuesday and my form started to fall. I had to drop out of the track session after three 1k reps at a pace slower than my 3k race pace. I got halfway through the first 600m rep that followed and threw in the towel. I jogged that one out then skipped the next one. My club mate carried on but the heat took its toll on her and she passed out cold after the last rep, which was a little frightening to be honest. Luckily we had a medic on hand. A midwife, so it made a bit of a change for her! The other medic on the scene was the girl out cold on the floor!
Wednesday was ridiculous. It was still over 30 degrees in the evening when I set off for my 12 miler. I had a litre and a half of water with me, but it just wasn't enough. Also my stupid Garmin died on me. I had to walk a little up some of the hills. Finally got home and logged the bit my Garmin missed and realised I was still a mile and a half short, so I finished up on the treadmill.
On Thursday I got home to find my hallway full, and I do mean FULL of flying ants. Aaaargh. I swatted at them with a rolled up magazine and sprayed them all with deodorant, air freshener and hair spray. Then I went upstairs and there were more in the bathroom (got them with Cif bathroom spray). Grabbed my bag to go to B&Q and spotted a load more in the living room and kitchen. Ugh, I feel itchy just thinking about it. I bought some flying insect killer spray, drove home and set about mass insecticide. Finally at about 8pm I got out for a run. I was so stressed out that I just had no energy left. I had to walk the entire length of a mile long hill and cut the run short.
Friday - still killing bugs and also a little distracted by the Williams v Watson match. I ended up going to Argos to buy a dustbuster handheld vacuum thing to get the dead bugs out of crevices that the hoover won't fit in to, and then to the gym. 5 miles plodded out.
We had massive thunder storms during the night, so it was off very little sleep that I got out of bed at stupid o'clock for the long journey down to Bristol for the Midlands league. After such a rubbish week I wasn't expecting much from my 3000m race. It was warm and really quite windy, although not as bad as at the last Mids league fixture. Just before the race I started to get stomach cramps and abdominal distention. I mean, really? Right now? There was some, erm, wind assistance, during my strides and I had to run off for a last minute visit. There was no action though. I really feared a mid race accident.
We started too quickly for my liking and the first 400 went by in 83 seconds. I was with a group that soon spread out into single file. I tucked in behind a girl from Bristol for a lap or two but I was getting ridiculously annoyed by her constantly running inside the inside line, ie cutting the distance. I don't know why it bothered me so much, but it did. I moved past her and tucked in behind a Gloucester girl, but she must have been slowing and pretty soon I had to go past her too. This put me behind my club's other runner. I could hear from her breathing that she was struggling so I pulled past, willing her to come with me. I was now behind a girl from BRAT and she too was running inside the inside line. Aaarrgh. Passed her too and ended up 4th in a season's best of 10.52.1. My stomach never bothered me again for the rest of the day.
All the travelling made for a very long day so I was late starting my long run this morning. I must learn to drag myself out of bed earlier for these. By the time I got to 13 miles I was nearly out of water so I had to slightly extend my run to go to a shop to buy more. 21.5 miles brought up 70.5 for the week.
Next week is a cutback. I don't really feel like I need one yet, but at least I might get to see some tennis!
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